RECLAIMING Their VOICE: The Native American Vote in New Mexico & Beyond (42 min.)
Narrated by PETER COYOTE, this film is OSCAR-nominated, EMMY-winning, filmmaker Dorothy Fadiman’s latest documentary. "RECLAIMING Their VOICE" follows Native Americans in New Mexico taking a stand against injustice in the political process. Personal stories demonstrate how minority communities are using their voting rights as they participate more fully in elections. These stories capture a microcosm of growing awareness and activism which is taking root across the United States. In addition to documenting the Native American suffrage movement historically, the film follows a groundbreaking project led by the Laguna, NM Native community. Their efforts lead to significant positive changes in New Mexico state election law.
This story serves as a model for how other minority populations throughout the U.S. can work together to make sure they can cast their votes and that their votes will be counted.

This film documents:
* The Pueblo Revolt (1680)
* Wounded Knee (1890)
* The Sacred Alliance for Grassroots Equality's fight to protect
the sacred art of the Petroglyph National Monument
* The Pueblo of Laguna's 500 Voter Project
* The passage of legislation to ensure greater election security for Native Americans
* The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People

All public, educational, and government access television stations (PEG) and community media stations have permission to broadcast this film and any of Dorothy Fadiman's other films.

Reviews

I loved this film. I had no idea that Native Americans felt so disenfranchised from politics. But seeing their history with rights to vote, I can understand why they would. What has been done to the People (as many call themselves) and what is still being done to them to undercut their right to vote is shameful! Thank you to Dorothy Fadiman for bringing light to this issue!

This is one of my favorite films of Dorothy's. There are two stories highlighted under the umbrella of Native Americans reclaiming their voice. The Laguna Tribe's effort to register tribal people so that they can vote. The problems encountered even after registration speaks to the entire issue across American of voter suppression. It is even more evident in Native American communities. Even though registered, there were not on the list, voter ID requirements prohibited Pueblo IDs from being accepted (the only form of ID many of the tribal people had). The second part highlights the Native American Alliance to protect their sacred land, The Sacred Petroglyphs In Albuquerque. The issue of a bond to allow a land owner to build a road through the petroglyphs so he could develop his land.